Digital identity and payment innovation will headline the finance agenda at Identity Week America 2026, as industry leaders tackle rising fraud risks, regulatory pressure, and the demand for seamless customer experiences.
Digital Identity in Financial Services
Chaired by Brian Russell, this session explores how identity is becoming embedded across the financial ecosystem.
Key discussion points:
- The shifting role of digital identity beyond onboarding
- Adoption of digital ID programmes across the U.S. financial sector
- Innovations in verification: voice biometrics, onboarding, fraud monitoring
- The growing threat landscape – and whether current protections go far enough
Featured presentation:
- Michael Wichmann, SVP, Chief of Staff Security & Fraud, Wintrust Financial Corp
Panel: The New Baseline for Financial Identity
Adopting digital ID to strengthen security and customer experience
Moderator:
- Brian Russell
Speakers:
- Parshaw Ghosh — Capital One
- Stefan Schubert — Chase
- Alexandra Giddens — Varo Bank (TBC)
- Pat Kinsel — Proof
Sponsored by Proof
Seamless Payments
Examining how technology is reshaping transactions and security.
Key discussion points:
- The role of AI, blockchain, and biometrics in next-gen payments
- Balancing strong security with frictionless user experience
- Navigating evolving regulation and compliance demands
- Identity verification at the point of sale to reduce fraud
Panel: The Future of Payments
Security, identity, and intelligent innovation
Speakers:
- Christina Hulka — Secure Technology Alliance
- Steve Cole — Merchant Advisory Group
- Troy Leach — Cloud Security Alliance
With identity now central to both security and customer experience, the finance programme at Identity Week America 2026 highlights a clear priority about building trusted, resilient systems for a digital financial world.
